Box Score AZUSA, Calif. --- Biola jumped out to an early lead, fell behind by five, and rallied late, but could not complete the comeback, losing 9-6 to The Master's College in the first round of the GSAC Tournament at Azusa Pacific University on Tuesday night.
The No. 3-seeded Eagles fall to 25-26 on the season and will face No. 6 Westmont College at 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday. The Warriors, who are making their first post-season appearance in 15 years, upset No. 1 seed Azusa Pacific 12-5 earlier on Tuesday.
The Mustangs, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, improve to 34-19 with the victory and face No. 2 Concordia, which was a 3-2 10-inning winner over No. 5 Fresno Pacific on Tuesday.
Biola got off to a quick start in the game, opening a 4-0 lead through the first three innings. In the first, Benji Sutherland led off with a triple and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Johnny Farrington. Drake Fages then singled up the middle to plate Sutherland with the first run.
In the second, Biola tacked on two more as Michael Annunziata singled to open the inning and Nick Covyeau belted a two-run home run to left to make it 3-0. Fages would make it 4-0 with a solo home run in the third.
Meanwhile, Biola starter Chris Baek had been cruising, striking out four and allowing three singles through the first three innings. But the Mustangs started to figure him out in the fourth as Chris Talley led off the frame with a solo home run.
In the fifth, Baek issued a one-out walk which came around to score as the next batter Steve Karkenny hit a two-run shot to make it a 4-3.
The Master's would tie the game with another solo home run in the sixth as catcher Bryan Lucas homer to make it a 4-4 game.
Baek would wrap up the sixth inning and give way to Erick Allen, leaving with the game knotted at 4-4. His string of four-straight games pitching into the ninth inning was snapped as he allowed 11 hits and four runs over six, throwing 87 pitches and striking out five.
Allen recorded the first two outs without too much trouble, but allowed a triple to right by Spencer Downs. A wild pitch would then bring Downs around to give the Mustangs a 5-4 lead after seven.
The Master's blew the game open with a four-spot in the eighth, taking advantage of two errors on one play by the Eagles to make it a 9-4 game.
But Biola rallied with two in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a Master's error, Vinnie Fayard double and Michael Annunziata single to pull within three at 9-6.
The Eagles ended a run of five-straight innings with a run by the Mustangs and came to bat in the bottom of the ninth still down by three.
Mike Lopez led off the inning with a walk, followed by a big two-run home run by Benji Sutherland to make it 9-8. The Master's starter AJ Work, who had worked the whole game up to that point, was lifted for reliever Tommy Kister. Johnny Farrington would work a big walk to greet Kister, bringing up the power of the Biola lineup.
Fages was next up but popped out on the infield for the first out. Farrington would move to second on a wild pitch, but Fayard would fly out softly to right for the second out. After falling behind Mac Sullivan, The Master's decided to intentionally walk him to face Annunziata. However, Annunziata would fly out to center to end the game as the Eagles fell a run short.
Allen suffered the loss to fall to 4-3 on the season while Work earned the win to improve to 11-2. Kister recorded his fourth save.
Sutherland and Fages each went 2-for-5 in the game with a home run and two runs driven in. Fayard and Annunziata each added a pair of hits for the Eagles.
Biola now must win four games over the next three days to win its first GSAC Tournament Championship title and an automatic berth to the NAIA Tournament.
